So here we are in a brand new year, what will be the creative challenge for 2014? Well as well as getting back to more art when my hands allow my new passion is for dressmaking. I tried last year but didn’t have the skills, so this year I have started again but with books and DVDs to help me learn how to create the clothes I’d like to wear and fingers crossed that will fit me. Now while it’s still dark n gloomy in the middle of the UK winter, what better time than to hunker down with some books and DVD and get learning. So here is my collection for this months stash dive;

Stash Dive: January 2014

I heard about the Threads DVDs thanks to a sewing forum that I’m a member of. Threads has a website and you can preview some episodes from the DVDs and purchase them for download if your internet is kind. I bought season one on Amazon and after finding out it would play on my TV/DVD set up got very excited and DH gave me season 2 and three for Christmas. The Dressmaking book is from him too, isn’t he wonderful.

Fear not, this is still a papercraft/art based blog and hands permitting there will be more of that this year but winter isn’t kind to my dexterity so actually ‘doing’ stuff has to wait for the better weather. So while I’m waiting I’ll be doing lots of research on all kinds of stuff, so I can share it with you in the form of reviews and hopefully more tutorials this year too.

How about you, what do you do with long dark winters? Do you create in the gloom or research to improve your skills and look for inspiration for when the light improves?

Firstly I’d like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. Regular readers will know that I don’t go in for New Years resolutions but instead for goals, things I’d like to try in the New Year. Stuff that will make me happy, rather than resolutions that always seem more about giving yourself a hard time.

So here we go, in 2014 I’d like to try the following

Dressmaking

Well making my own clothes. I’d like to make trousers that fit me as I can’t find them in shops, so if I make my own then I can get the fit I’m after, in fabrics I like. It would also be nice to try to make a few skirts as I seem to have reached the age/shape that can’t get away with wearing shorts anymore :( Bit of a dilemma, as I don’t have the feet that go with skirts but that is a whole different story.

This goal has started well, as I was very lucky to bag a dressmakers dummy on Ebay before Christmas so fingers crossed, that will help me sort out a fit for my clothes. I’ve also been collecting dressmaking books and later on last year discovered Threads DVDs, which are wonderful. Craftsy is superb but our internet connection isn’t strong enough to stream the video, so the DVDs from Threads and from Palmer/Pletsch have covered shirts, trousers and now upper body fitting too. Being a visual learner they have been fantastic.

Bring back Art

Doodling

On the art front, because I haven’t turned my back on that, just that my hands let me down last year, I’m having a go at doodling. Years ago I used to doodle quite a lot, but after seeing Zen doodling and Zen Tangle its renewed my interest. I’d like to find out a bit more about Tangling but it makes my eyes go funny, they remind me of optical illusions. That said, doodling shapes and patterns appeals and I fancy giving it a go. It seems to be a nice peaceful way of letting your mind wander and helps you relax. I still couldn’t quite get to grips with art journalling, either because I put too much pressure on myself, in the quest for the ‘perfect page’ or ended up with pieces I didn’t want to share online as they were too personal. So doodling it is, here’s to chilling out with art supplies. :):):)

Gelli Arts

The most burning ambition I have on the art front, is to try a Gelli plate. Other things kept coming up and taking the budget and I never quite got round to getting one last year. I had it in my head that I ‘needed’ the 8 x 10″ one, so I could make book covers and that the 6x 6″ plate would be too small. The price of the 8 x10″ one put me off, so round and round I went. I haven’t resolved those issues so when budget allows I hope to get a 6 x 6″ one and give it a go. In all honesty, I haven’t really the space to store a larger one anyway but it would have been nice to have more space on the plate to play on. There I go again DOH!!! Better a small space to Gelli rather than no Gelli at all.

In the meantime, until the light and my dexterity improves, I have my Christmas books n DVDs to read/watch so that will keep me busy. How about you, do you have creative goals for 2014? Do let me know what you would love to create in 2014.

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Have fun
Billie :)

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